Ellen Becker, PhD, RRT-NPS, RPFT, AE-C, FAARC

Professor 
Department of Respiratory Care, College of Health Sciences
Role: Faculty
Joined Rush in 2012

Bio

I have been a respiratory therapist for over forty years, and I have held a variety of administrative, clinical, and teaching roles. My current research focuses on professional education topics, patient education, and asthma.

What inspired you to get into your field?

My brother and father both have asthma. I saw how limited health information made it difficult for the to manage their asthma. Becoming a respiratory therapist was my opportunity to improve the lives of my family and those of other families.

What excited you about your work at Rush?

Rush provides an excellent environment for teamwork among health professionals and tremendous opportunities for academic and clinical collaboration.

What is your opinion of mentoring and sponsorship? Please comment about your experiences.

Mentoring is important for everyone entering both the clinical and academic phases of his or her career. We need to teach our students and colleagues about mentoring so that they have the skills to seek mentors if a formal program is not available. Part of this education should include how sponsorship differs from mentoring.

Do you have tips or advice you would recommend for someone looking to enter your field of work?

Respiratory care is still a relatively young profession. As a result, there are tremendous growth opportunities in leadership, education and research.

What are your hobbies? How do you like to spend your free time?

I enjoy spending time with family and friends, travel, performing arts, biking and knitting.